Getting Older (And Growing Up).

The other night, I spent the evening with my parents in the house I grew up in (which is how I've been spending most of my free time lately). Upon leaving, my mom told me that I had "really grown up." And it kind of got me thinking...

Getting older, or growing up, is really a journey of paring down. It is a journey that leads us to make good choices, bad choices, and everything in between. It is a process of learning… (hopefully) a lot about ourselves, and as much as we can about other people, especially those closest to us. It is being aware of the things we deem important in life— those things that are essential to our own, individual, happiness. It is realizing that we all value different things in life, and understanding that it’s okay to be different.

As the years go by, I get to know myself more and more. I appreciate my attributes and strengths. I accept my flaws and weaknesses, yet try to improve upon them. I don’t ask for things from others. I don’t expect anything from anyone. I don’t seek acceptance from anyone because I’m happy with myself. The only person I try to impress is myself. I understand that not everyone will like me, and that I won’t like everyone. I believe it is important to be grateful for the positive things in life (as well as the negative… they are banked as “lessons learned”, and they also let me appreciate the positives). I think to truly have gratitude, you must not expect or assume. Just be grateful for any kindness that comes your way! Figure out what’s important, and tend to those things. For me, it really comes down to health, family, and close friends. And food/wine, of course. I like to keep it simple, because-- Less is More. By paring down, I am growing up. 

Education... It's a Great Thing!

I don't know how many times in my 31 years I have had to have this conversation. And it's really getting old (and even more annoying).

This is how a typical conversation like this goes (sad, I know):

       Random: So, what's your nationality?

       Me: American.

       (Surprised look on Random's face because they've just realized their own ignorance-- or at least I hope that's why.)

       Random: Well, I knew that...

       Me: Okay, then why did you ask?

Of course, I'm not stupid-- I know what they're trying to ask.  But the snob in me feels like only the proper question deserves the proper answer.  :]

***

Let's clear this up, people:

VS.

Which makes my

Nationality: American.  Yes, I am an American citizen. Hard to believe, I know. Just take a deep breath and let it sit.  Everything is going to be okay.

Ethnicity: Chinese. My parents are Chinese, their parents are Chinese, their parents' parents are Chinese, etc.

And yes, you can be both. Chinese American. BOOM-- Mind blown!

An Old Dog CAN Learn New Tricks...

The other night, Ryan and I had my parents over for dinner (we had take-out from Cornish Pasty... sooooo delicious, I could eat there every day). We were just sitting on the couch talking when I decided to show them the present that Ryan gave me for our anniversary/Valentine's day. I didn't know that it would ignite a little bickering match!

By the look on my mom's face, you could tell that she appreciated the fact that he had given me a nice gift. After seeing the clutch (and the look on my mom's face) my dad goes, "I buy you nice things" to my mom. And with a roll of her eyes she said that she works so much, it's the same as her buying the stuff anyways. (She does work a ton, so I see where she's coming from.) Anyway, the argument over this topic of work/doing things around the house/who does more/etc. ensued for a little bit, so I stepped away while laughing, and let them hash it out like you should let any cute old couple do when bickering.  All the while, Ryan was in the kitchen, happily making all of us lattes, with no clue whatsoever of what was going on right next to him... probably since the whole thing went down in Chinese.

I returned to the conversation a couple minutes after walking away to hear my mom say something about how my dad FINALLY asked her how to use the washing machine a few months ago (because she was badly injured in a car accident and couldn't use her arm)... AFTER 40 YEARS.  LOL.  Better late than never?

Project: #greenthumb

I've decided to start my own herb garden/mini-farm. I sort of cheated because I bought my cilantro and rosemary from Sprouts.  BUT, I did grow my basil from seed. Also, the trick really is to keep the plants alive once you have them. That's always been the hard part.  I'm excited to grow plants!

I've also decided to try and grow celery, green onion, and potatoes. More to come! I'm going to track my progress on my "Project: #greenthumb" tab up above.

On another note, I was thinking the other day, "I'm so glad I finally learned to do my brows..." It only took 30-something years. :) They are really important, so please do them correctly!

Maybe I should've called out fat.

Work tonight was uncomfortable. And by uncomfortable I mean I felt like Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Look here if you don't know what I'm talking about. Ugh.

...So last night was date night. We went downtown to The Vig on Fillmore and got a bottle of wine (the Malbec, to be exact) and some food (they've got a great deal--a bottle of wine and an appetizer for $22 on Tuesdays). Afterwards we went to Crescent for a couple of drinks (well, 1.5 for me, and .5 for him, if we're counting), and then went home. Once home, we finished the bottle from the restaurant, and then had the rest of the bottle that was open from the night before. I then decided that I was starving, so proceeded to make myself a waffle with peanut butter, jelly, greek yogurt, and some cinnamon. YUM. And then I decided I was still hungry, so I ate my leftover salad from the night before, made some popcorn, a tortilla with cream cheese, and baked 5 or 6 chocolate chip cookies (of which I ate all but one). YUMMM.

Oh yeah, I probably should have prefaced all of that with, "I sat in the same spot on the couch all day and ate, incessantly. Up until a little before we were heading out to eat." Haha. Oh. My. Goodness.

I hate going to bed on a full stomach. Like, a really full stomach. I always feel like a stuffed sausage the entire next day.

Hmm... it could've been the 3/4 bottle of wine. Or the 1.5 drinks. Or the bowl of salad. Or the waffle. Or popcorn. Or tortilla. Or the half-dozen chocolate chip cookies right before bed. Or everything else before all of that. BTW, thanks for telling me the ice cream was a bad idea, babe. ;)

#fatkidproblems

You cannot know the strength of your faith until it has been tested.

This quote is such a powerful, true, and moving statement.  It is something that pertains to everything and everybody... regardless of how you apply it.

It is something that makes me stop and think about myself, about my life.

This is one of those things that, when you put your heart, your mind, and your soul into the deepest meaning of it, you see who you really are.

This world. myworldyourworldourworld.

What you see is not what I see.  What you hear is not what I hear.  This means that neither you nor I is wrong or right.  And this is where we agree to disagree.  This comes from the simple, undeniable fact that we are all individuals.  We are individuals with our own unique pasts, with our own unique experiences... down to our own unique molecular makeup.

To one, the sky may be blue.  To another, light blue.  To another, pale blue.  To yet another, a bluish-white.  However, we all agree at some point that it's some sort of blue.  Yet again, maybe not!  ...And that's okay too. 

I may be in the same exact room and participate in the same conversation as someone...yet experience the whole thing in a completely different way!  Trust me, it's happened before....  Sometimes, it just amazes me.  But then I remember...

People need to draw themselves out of a self-centered existence.  It is equally important that people are aware of themselves as well as others.  There must be an understanding and acceptance of the differences (and similarities) that we have among ourselves.

All in all... my reality will never meet your reality.  Don't expect me to understand things the way you do...for that is purely selfish.  Instead, do your best to communicate in a way the person you are speaking to will understand... be open and unassuming.